The Magical Day
by SharkiesGirl
Summary: Remus Lupin could only remember a few of his birthdays, eight of them to be precise. And looking back at them, he thought that they were the days that made his world magical.


**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything you recognise.

**A/N:** This is a birthday present for RabbitohsGirl, so Happy Birthday! Also, I would like to thank my one-off beta, Avindara Nirvene for a fantastic job, as Rabbi normally beta's for me!

Remus Lupin could only remember a few of his birthdays, eight of them to be precise. And looking back at them, he thought that they were the days that made his world magical. They were days he was comforted by people he loved, the days that made him feel special when he had nothing else to feel special about. They were the day that made him smile, even if he was alone.

---

The first birthday that Remus could remember was the one in which he turned seven. He was surrounded by his family, all of the people that loved him. His mum and dad invited over his aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents to celebrate the special day.

Remus could remember the array of colours that jumped around the well decorated room. There were balloons, streamers, and all sorts of muggle decorations that were moderated to change colours, float, and bounce around the house.

He received a large variety of presents, his favourite were the hugs given by his adoring grandmother.

The day went by quickly as he played with his cousins, and ran around his small backyard, squealing with delight. Remus' beaming face surely showed the fun that he was having.

---

One year, Remus' birthday fell right on the full moon. He was to be turning 10, but being a werewolf couldn't even burden Remus' day.

He felt sick and tired the whole day, but his parents sat by him, secretly washing enchantments over him throughout the day, to make him feel a little better.

Remus sat out in the fresh air for a little while, watching the birds fly around the large pine trees in his backyard. He made his parents smile as his laughter from enjoyment wafted into the kitchen, where his mother was baking his cake.

His mother made a beautiful supper, and Remus enjoyed his cake, but after that he was taken down to the basement where his mother wrapped him in his favourite, softest blanket. She sung to him and rocked him, trying to forget the monster that would take over her little, innocent boy. When he was calm, she took the blanket and left, telling him how much she loved him, trying to be strong for him by holding back her tears.

Remus couldn't remember a thing from that painful night, but his mother told him when he was older that the screams of agony broke her heart, and brought her to tears, as it was meant to be his special day.

Remus assured her that she made that painful day special for him.

---

The third birthday memory that Remus could recall was spent in Hogwarts. It was March 10 and he was turning 13 years old. He was surrounded by his friends: James, Sirius and Peter. They spent the whole day laughing, smiling and celebrating.

Remus received presents from his family and friends that consisted mainly of chocolate, which indeed would help with the future pain from his 'furry little problem' as James had started to call it.

He remembered the sunny, blue sky and the bright, blooming flowers that made his special day a beautiful one.

And, if that wasn't enough, the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall all erupted into a chorus of a birthday song, sung in a cheerful tune. Of course, it was lead by none other than Sirius and James.

---

The Shrieking Shack was no place to spend the night of your birthday, but when Remus turned 16 he didn't have a choice.

After a lonely day in the hospital wing, which was only eventful when Remus' three best friends had visited in their free period under James's invisibility cloak, Remus was to be taken to the dusty, dark shack in which he would spend the night alone, or so Professor Dumbledore thought.

In fact, Remus wasn't alone at all, for Peter, Sirius and James were going to transform into their Animagus forms and take Remus for a little adventure to Hogsmeade.

Remus could control himself a little more when his friends were around and a trip to the town near Hogwarts was definitely the best way to end his birthday.

When they reached Hogsmeade, the four boys were intrigued by the bright lights that whizzed around the town. These lights were like one thousand shooting stars bouncing around the shops.

Up above them, the full moon shone and set off more light to the people below.

The boys, or the werewolf, the brave, tall stag, the black, Grim-like dog and the small, quick rat were given constant stares from slightly confused passer-bys. But the boys didn't mind at all, as long as they were together, they were happy. They had each other.

Remus' mind wandered back to that night several times, and although he could only remember small little things like the lights, his friends had filled him in on every detail.

---

Remus' memories of birthdays weren't always filled with friends and family and laughing and playing. The birthday memory that haunted Remus the most was one where he was all alone.

Two of his best friends were dead and one was in Azkaban. Sirius had given James and his wife Lily's lives away to Voldemort and then Sirius had gone and killed Peter.

So, on March 10, 1982, Remus sat alone in a red, velvet armchair. He did not cry because he was alone, but he smiled serenely as he was trapped deeply in the past.

The room in which he was sitting was dusty and bare, except for the single armchair and a few bright balloons that Remus had put up to make his day feel special.

His parents and his best friends were gone, and the only person he had left was one very extraordinary little boy who was also alone in the world, the little boy who had the same cheekiness as his father. His name was Harry, James's son.

Remus wished that he could just hold this little boy, just for today, so he wouldn't feel alone, so he could be a little happier on his birthday.

But still, he smiled.

**---**

Remus wasn't alone in the next memory he had of his birthdays. He had gotten one of his best friends back.

Sirius had escaped from Azkaban and Remus knew he was innocent. Together Remus and Sirius sat in the most cheerful room in the house that Sirius was hiding out in. They sat in Sirius's bedroom, having an ordinary birthday party, but this meant so much to Remus, it meant so much indeed.

It was like old times, when they used to sit and joke and laugh. Sirius had set off a few fireworks that Fred and George Weasley had left behind. The whizzing fireworks were bright and quick, and they surely put a big smile on Remus' face.

Molly Weasley had baked a cake, just like Remus' mother had once done. It was a chocolate cake in the shape of a book and where the title usually lay on a book, the words 'Happy Birthday Moony' were placed.

He was with his best friend having a birthday party, that's what mattered most.

---

March 10 came around slowly. Remus had watched it come and go once, and then it was back. The war was bigger than ever and Sirius was gone…dead, but Remus was with his wife, Dora and his small baby boy, Teddy. His mother-in-law, Andy was also present.

Dora had planned a special picnic in the backyard for the small family, just to forget the pain that lay around them, hurting them to no end.

Dora's hair was turquoise and she wore a bright party dress. Andy wore a smile; she seemed relaxed, not like her usual worried state. Teddy sat on his Daddy's lap with a blue party hat fitted to his small head in which a tuft of hair constantly changed colours. He was clapping his tiny, chubby hands in excitement and kept looking up at his Daddy and smiling. Remus beamed as he watched his family, knowing that for now everything was alright.

The little family was happy and finally had a day of peace. They celebrated the special day and Remus thought how wonderful it would be for Teddy to grow up and have a party with his family and have one day every year that really put magic into his life.

The day was gorgeous and there wasn't a moment without happiness. Remus had found his family, and knew that he would remember that day until the day he died.

---

Remus didn't have a snapshot of all of his birthdays, he couldn't even remember some. But, the memories in his mind were so much stronger and meant so much more. These memories made his death day feel magical.

---

Seven years had passed since the remarkable day little Teddy was born, and even though his parents had died trying to make a better world for him, the memory of them had never drifted away.

"Grandma," Teddy whispered, "Do you think my Mummy and Daddy always had great birthdays like mine?"

Andromeda looked content as she pushed her orphaned grandson on the swing in a lonely park.

"Well, your Mother always had brilliant birthdays as far as I can remember. She always wore a smile on her face. As for your father, I'm not entirely sure, I was only present for one of his birthdays and it was a beautiful day. I think that he might have mentioned to your mother that he had always had beautiful birthdays. He said that he wanted to be there for all of yours too."

Teddy's beaming face slowly dissolved into a gloomy one. "But, he isn't here."

Andromeda stopped pushing the swing, "Of course he is here, Teddy. As one great, old man once said, 'You think the dead we loved ever truly leave us?' Albus Dumbledore told that to your Uncle Harry once."

Teddy's dark eyes twinkled and Andromeda was instantly reminded of her only daughter as the swing came to a squeaky stop.

"Teddy, you are a living replica of your parents, I want you always to be who you are, because then, your parents will never leave you."

"I like being me Grandma, why would I not want to be me?" And with that, Teddy jumped off the swing and ran to the slide, "Sometimes you can be really silly Grandma." Teddy shook his laughing a laugh that would be so familiar to James Potter and Sirius Black.

**A/N:** Rabbi, consider the Teddy part your Christmas pressie. And thanks once again Anie for being a fantabulous beta!

Thankyou all for reading, and if you review I thank you very much as they really do make beautiful Christmas presents!

Love always,

Sharkie

xoxo

P.S. Happy holidays!


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